Spacer construction for packing cases



April 3, 1956 D. G. LAVER SPACER CONSTRUCTION ROR PACKING CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 9, 1951 @2V/vire.

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April 3, 1956 D. G. I AvER SPACER CONSTRUCTION FOR PACKING CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'iled Oct. 9, 1951 IN V EN TOR. .gona/J G'. d V67? BY W1/,44)

SPACER CONSTRUC'HGN FOR PACKING CASES Donald Guy Laver, lnkster, Mish.

Application ctoner 9, 1951, Serial No. 251),'391

6 Ciams. (Cl. 229-16) My invention relates generally to packing means for the protection of breakable articles and the like during shipment and handling.

It is an object of my invention to provide improved spacing and supporting means, for use in a shipping carton or the like, to maintain an article to be shipped in spaced f an improved packing device which may be formed from u a single ilat blank and which may be initially shipped, handled, and stored in a flat condition wherein it occupies a minimum of space, but may be made ready for use quickly `and easily by a simple process of opening and interfolding precut parts, without the use of special machinery or equipment.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a construction of the above character which is simple in construction and requires a minimum of material.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of packing devices constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same installed in a shipping carton and illustrating the manner in which they are employed to support an article to be shipped, the shipping carton being partially broken away;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a somewhat larger scale of one of my improved packing devices;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which my improved spacer is formed, indicating the lines upon which the blank is cut and folded;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of my improved spacing device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view taken at right angles to Fig. 4, and on a smaller scale.

In order to properly support and space an article within an outer container, a plurality of my packing spacers are ordinarily employed. Fig. l shows two of my spacers, generally indicated at 9, cooperating within a carton, generally designated 11, so as to space and floatably support a generally rectangular article 12 within the carton 11 and out of contact with its inner sides. When an article to be shipped has like ends, identical spacers are used and are interchangeable, the spacers being placed at either end of the article and adapted to tit over and to be positioned by the article as in Fig. l.

rates atent ice My improved packing spacer is preferably madevfrom double-faced corrugated paper board and is preferably constructed from just one piece of paper board. A blank of paper board is cut and scored as in Fig. 3 providing an end panel 13, two identical flaps 15 disposed at either end of end panel 13 but separated therefrom by cuts in the blank, two identical halves of an end panel 17 disposed at the outer sides of the aps 15 but separated therefrom by cuts in the blank, a side panel 19 opposite end panel 13 and joined thereto by an extended portion 21 protruding from side panel 19, two identical side panels 23 disposed at-and joined to either end of side panel 19 and each being joined to aps 15, and two identical halves of side panels 25 disposed at and joined to the outer ends of side panels 23 opposite the halves of end panel 17 and joined with halves of end panel 17 by halves of an extended portion 27 extending from halves of a side panel 25. lt may be seen that if a line were drawn transversely through the center of the blank, the blank would `be separated into identical halves. j

in order to assemble the spacer, theblank is bent a-t score lines 29 so that the identical side panels 23 are parallel to one another and extend normally from the panel 19. The blank is further bent at the score lines 31 so as to join the edges 33, these edges being held together by tape or other suitable means. The identical halves 25 thus form a side panel identical to the side panel 19 and the identical halves 17 form an end panel identical to the end panel 13, it being parallel thereto. The flaps 15 extend from the side panels 23 adjacent the end panels 13 and 17. These flaps are folded inwardly and positioned within the tubular structure formed by the several side panels. First one and then another of the end panels 13 and 17 are folded inwardly so as to be perpendicular to the several side panels. rl`he edges 35 of the several side panels are spaced apart from the end panels 13 and 17, the distance being defined by the length of the extended members 21 and 27.

The identical end panels 13 and 17 are so formed that their widths and heights are greater than the width and height of the rectangular sleeve formed by the side panels 19, 23, 25. The side panels are thus set in from the edges 37, 38, and 39 of the end panels. The amount by which the edges 37 and 38 extend beyond the side panels 19 and 25 may be regulated by increasing or decreasing the length of the extended portions 21 and 27 and at the same time increasing or decreasing the circumference of the sleeve. The amount by which the edges 39 extend beyond the identical side panels 23 may be regulated by increasing or decreasing the amount of the blank allowed for the flaps 15 as opposed to the amount of the blank allowed for the length of the end panels. It may thus be seen that my spacer is adaptable to meet various needs depending upon the size of the article to be shipped and the amount by which it is desired to space the article from the inner surfaces of the outer container.

In the cutting and scoring of the blank from which my spacer is constructed, the cuts are so made that the extended portions 21 and 27 overlap the edges of the end panels, joining the end panels at a line 40 which is spaced inwardly from the edges 38. The extending members 21 and 27 join the end panels only over a portion of the length thereof, leaving Ithe ends of the adjacent edge 38 projecting beyond the line 4t). Thus, when the spacer is folded so that the end panels are perpendicular to the side panels, the edges 38 project beyond the side panels and the extended members.

In the initial construction of the spacers, they may be folded at the lines 31A and 29A only, and fastened together at the edges 33, 33A, the flaps and end panels 15, 13, 17 being `left coplanar with'the sides to which they are attached. The spacers can thus be packed,

shipped and handled prior to use in a at, compact condition, and to prepare them for use it is only necessary to fold the tube structure at the additional lines 29 and 31, bending inwardly the flaps and the panels 13 and 17, as has already been described.

It may be seen that my spacer, when assembled, has four main parts: a wall-like supporting structure or frame formed by the end panels 13 and 17, which now lie ilat against one another; a tubular sleeve of lesser crosssectional area than the supporting wall structure adapted to embrace and support the end of an article to be shipped and which sleeve is formed by the side panels 19, 23, stopmeans formed by the flaps 15' which serve to space the article to be shipped away from the supporting wall; and extending members formed by the portions 21 and 27 which join the tubular sleeve to the supporting wall and which may be relatively resilient so as to assist in the provision of a cushioned, iloating support for the tubular sleeve and the packed article held thereby.

The height and width of the end panels 13 and 17 are such as to conform to the height and width of the ends of the container in which the spacers are to be used. The edges 37 thus abut the top, bottom and sides of the outer container 11 with which my spacers are used. The outer container 11 is of such length that when the article to be shipped with my spacers at the ends thereof is inserted into the outer container, the outer surface of the supporting wall abuts the inner surfaces of the ends of the outer container and the spacers and the article 12 are held snugly therein.

It may be seen that the article 12 is held away from the surfaces of the container 11 so that any forces bearing upon the container 11 from without will be counteracted thereby and not by the article 12. It may be further seen that the extended portions 21 and 27 assist in providing for the article 12 a iioating suspension which greatly minimizes the transmission to the article 12 of any shocks or deformations applied to the outer container.

Although in my preferred construction illustrated herein separate spacing devices are employed having individual sleeve portions adapted to embrace opposite ends of the past or inner package (as 12) it will be recognized that the two sleeve portions 9 could be combined and continuous in form to constitute an inner container hav ing the spacing ilaps at both ends as shown. The blank for such an inner spacing container would be elongated to the extent necessary and would have flaps as 13, 15, 17 on both ends, as will be appreciated. lt will also be seen by those skilled in the art that numerous other modi` cations and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An inner packing element for use in a packing case constructed from a unitary piece of at stock and com prising a rectangularly shaped sleeve adapted to receive the end portion of an article to be packed, liaps extending in overlapping relation from the edges of two oppositely facing sides of said sleeve, each of the other pair of oppositely facing sides of said sleeve provided with an integral outwardly projecting portion, and two overlapping end panels, one of said end panels being integrally attached with one of said outwardly projecting portions and the other of said end panels being integrally attached with the other of said outwardly projecting portions, each of said end panels being of generally planar form and including a portion of stock cut out of the side to which it isconnected and near said edge to which it is connected, whereby when said end panels are folded to angular relationship with respect to said sides along said edges, the portions of said Vend panels so cut out of the sides extend laterally with respect to and beyond the -sides of said sleeve.

2. An inner packing element for use in a packing case, said 'element including a sleeve having at least two pair of oppositely disposed sides and adapted to receive the end portion of an article to be packed, flaps extending inwardly of said sleeve from one. pair of oppositely facing sides of said sleeve, each of the other pair of oppositely facing sides provided with an integral outwardly projecting portion, and two overlapping end panels, one of said end panels being integrally joined to one of said outwardly projecting portions and the other of said end panels being integrally joined to the other of said outwardly projecting portions, each of said end panels being of generally planar form and including a portion of stock cut out of the side to which it is connected and near the edge to ywhich it is connected whereby when said end panels are folded in angular relationship with respect to said sides along said edges, the portions of said end panels so cut out of the sides extend laterally with respect to and beyond the sides of said sleeve.

3. An inner packing element for use in a packing case, said element being constructed from a unitary piece of at bendable stock and including a rectangularly-shaped sleeve adapted to receive an end portion of an article to be shipped, flaps extending in overlapping relationship from two oppositely facing sides of said sleeve, each of the other pair of oppositely facing sides of said sleeve provided with an integral longitudinally extending outwardly projecting portion, and a pair of overlapping end panels, one of said panels being integrally joined to one of said outwardly projecting portions and the other of said end panels being integrally joined to the other of said outwardly projecting portions, each of said end panels being of generally planar form and including a portion of stock coplanar therewith cut out of the side to which it is connected and near the edge to which it is connected whereby when said end panels are folded in overlapping relationship, the portions of said end panels so cut out of the sides extend laterally beyond the junctions of said outwardly projecting portions with said vvend panels and cofoperate with said flaps to support an article to be shipped away from the sides and ends of a packing case.

4. An inner packing element for use in a packing case, said element including a sleeve adapted to receive an end portion of an article to be packed, two oppositely facing sides -of said sleeve each provided with an outwardly projecting portion, anda pair of overlapping end panels, one of said end panels being fixed to one of said outwardly projecting portions and the other of said end panels being xed to the other of said outwardlyA projecting portions, the length of each of said end panels being greater than the length of the side to which it is connected, each of said end panels being of generally planar form and including a portion of stock coplanar therewith cut out of the side to which it is connected laterally outwardly of said projecting portions and near the edge to which it is connected whereby when said end panels are folded in angular relationship with respect to said sides along said edges, the portions of said end panels so cut out of the sides are disposed laterally outwardly of said'projecting portions and extend laterally with respect to and beyond the sides of said sleeve.

5. An inner packing element for use ina packing case,

said element including a sleeve adapted to receive the 'end portion of an article to be packed, each of two oppositely facing sides of said sleeve provided with an integral outwardly projecting portion, and a pair of overlapping end panels, one of said end panels being integrally joined to one of said outwardly projecting portions and the other of said end panels being integrally joined to the other of said outwardly projecting portions, the length of cach of said end panels being greater than the length of the side to which it is connected, each of said end panels being of generally planar form and including spaced portions of stock coplanar therewith cut out of the side to which it is connected laterally outwardly of said yprojecting portions and near the edge to which it is connected whereby when said end panels are vfolded in angular relationship with respect to said sides along said edges, the portions of said end panels so cutout of the sides are disposed laterally outwardly of said projecting portions and extend laterally with respect to and beyond the sides of said sleeve.

6. A blank for an inner packing element adapted to support an object Within an enclosing container, comprising a relatively stii flat piece of stock including two longitudinal stock portions joined together side-by-side, one of said portions comprising a sleeve-defining portion and the other comprising a spacer flap-deiining portion, the sleeve-defining portion having a plurality of parallel, transverse hinge portions whereby it may be bent about such hinge portions to the form of a hollow prism, and whereby the stock portions between such hinge lines may deiine the at sides of such a prism, the spacer flap-defining portion including a pair of spaced spacer flap parts and a hinge part intermediate said spacer ap parts, the distance between the transverse edges of the spacer flapdefining portion being greater thari the distance between the said transverse hinge portions of the sleeve-defining portion, the hinge part hingedly joining said spacer ap parts to one of said flat side-dening portions and assisting in joining said longitudinal stock portions as aforesaid, another portion of said spacer ap part being severed from the stock of said sleeve-defining portion along lines projecting inwardly of said sleeve-defining portion beyond the line of said hinge part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,147,650 Scudder July 20, 1915 2,105,243 Gruber Jan. 11, 1938 2,160,816 Barnes June 6, 1939 2,176,274 Parnin Oct. 17, 1939 2,553,418 Loth May 15, 1951 2,603,349 Van Antwerpen July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 265,489 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1926 

